


Massive Truck on the Yellow Brick Road

by aspiring_simp



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: #oneshot #transformersoneshot, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 10:09:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28349670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aspiring_simp/pseuds/aspiring_simp
Summary: Optimus decides to enjoy himself for once and he races along the road stretching from the middle of nowhere to Cade's property. He notices how restless Cade is and gives him the accelerator. Just two friends from different planets hanging out.Just friends, right?[implied gayness, but there's no actual gay. I thought we needed more content like this since I have a little bit of trouble finding it sometimes lmao]
Kudos: 10





	Massive Truck on the Yellow Brick Road

Quiet music and Cade’s presence were soothing to Optimus as he sped through the night. It was faster than he’d dare to if the way was unfamiliar or if it was even slightly busy, but he’d spent days cruising over that perpetually empty road. He decided it wouldn’t hurt to test himself a bit. 

That had been a while ago. At present, he was flying at nearly 70 miles per hour, settling at that speed while Cade woke up. 

“Big guy, you're going seventy? I didn’t even realize, man.” 

“My apologies.” Optimus paused, still focusing on the road. “Should I slow down?” 

“No, no, it’s fine. Unexpected, that’s all.” Through a wing mirror, he took a quick glance at Cade peering at the road rushing by. 

“You sound unsure, Cade?” 

“A little. Like I said, I just didn’t expect to wake up to 70 miles per hour. I mean, should I be worried?” 

“You’re as safe as can be, no need to worry. Even if I manage to tip over.” He wasn’t lying-he could transform at least a hand in a flash, should anything drastic happen. There was nobody else on the road for miles. Prior knowledge and accurate sensors could tell him that. 

“What? I didn’t even think about tipping over.” A sliver of Cade’s nervousness fell through. 

“My point still stands, does it not?” 

“Well, yeah, it does, I guess. Anyway, why’d you choose now to speed? Hell, I don’t think I've ever seen you at a speed like this outside of a fight”, Cade laughed. 

“It’s not exactly a deep reason, you see. Most of the time, I just don’t know the road well enough or too many cars who crowd an otherwise clear road. Sometimes, it would be improper to look as if I'm showing off, in a way." Cade made a ‘hm?’ sound as a reply as he slowed to drive the upcoming turn. It was only a light angle though, and he soon sped up again. 

He continued, “I mean that I’m aware of how much unwanted attention I would get from pushing myself like this in public, especially as a heavy vehicle and, of course, having the paint job that I do. Even without all that, if I were to push myself unnecessarily in a social situation, it would be showing off, yes? Unless you consider showing off to have to be purposefully attempting to impress others, but I think of it more as pushing yourself in a situation where you mostly don't need to.” 

“True”, Cade nodded,” but Bee and the others show off all the time. Is it the same for them? Well, they're younger than you and definitely not as mature, but still.” Optimus found Cade’s curiosity almost endearing—with Cade, he could speak about his species and their nature as easily as any other conversation piece. It was less awkward to talk with Cade than it was with one of his own team, sometimes. 

“It’s their way of expressing energy, or at least that’s what I've seen. Showing off is how they establish their hierarchy too, small as it may be. They’re impressing each other, as teenagers and young people in general do. I've already established hierarchy myself as a Prime and through battle. I don’t exactly need to impress anyone—who would want me to deliberately impress them anyway?” Cade sunk himself down in the driver’s seat as Optimus continued at the smooth but quick speed. He didn't need to give his piece of honesty on that one. 

“You’re always impressive, aren’t you?” He sighed, laughing softly to himself. It was easier to use a joke in response than having to try and match Optimus and his smart words. However, he seemed to take it rather literally. 

“I don’t truly think of myself as such but that is half my point—I don’t need to show off to those who are as aware of my capabilities as I am.” 

“Yeah... I get that. Still, why now?” 

“Well, I should like to indulge while I’m able to. It may be improper to show off but despite that, I can and will show off. It's only you and I. And... this road does get boring when you follow the speed limit, doesn’t it?” 

They both chuckled, falling comfortably silent. 

Cade wound the driver’s winder down and rested his elbow on it. As he leaned on his hand cradling his jaw, wind whipped his face. It numbed his skin, but not quite painfully. The road was actually pretty old, having been replaced by a newer highway years ago. It wasn't used nearly as much now; mostly only joyriders and neighbours used it once in a blue moon. It sure wasn’t smooth, which he knew from the number of times his head had hit his pickup’s roof over the ungraceful bumps. Thankfully, Optimus expertly avoided the worst of it and cruised gently. 

The moon was half empty, and so the only illumination was Optimus’ headlights. The stars were a healthy blanket of rural sky, but Cade couldn’t see much of them from the cab. He stared with droopy eyes into the abyss-like night. Just barely, he could see the edges of the road fading into dusty green, scraggly brush. Everything was blurry, though, and his ears were filled snugly with the sound of Optimus’ monotonous engine. 

He knew it must’ve been quite some time that he’d sat there still as a statue because when he drew away from the window, his jaw was aching from resting in the heel of his palm. He calmly shifted, stretching out his cramping legs (avoiding the pedals tactfully). Every once in a while, he’d look towards Optimus’ speedometer and notice how he’d crept up a mile or two each time. Cade was moving like a sloth, keeping his eyelids half open. 

Slowly, though, he started to drift out of the languid state. The lazy flop when he shifted was less sleepy and made more of boredom. With nothing much to do and no thoughts to think, he started listening closer to the quiet music humming from Optimus’ radio. He leaned to turn it up just a smidge. It was quite the nostalgic playlist. Most of them were bittersweet or with some deep metaphor. Some were straight depressing if he was honest with himself, but still suited the big Prime all in all. He noticed some Harry Chapin, a good dollop of Phil Collins... and a few choir-sung ones that he barely knew, but remembered from somewhere. He hummed along to as many as he could, trying not to linger on 'where have I heard that before?' or 'why is Optimus listening to that one?' 

Still, he was tapping his leg just a little too hard and reaching over to twirl the cap of his water bottle just a little too often to be truly comfortable. 

“Cade, are you bored?” 

“Hm? Ah, sorry.” 

“You have a remarkable ability to fidget, you know. No wonder you have so many projects.” Cade could hear the laidback amusement in Optimus’ voice, almost acting like they weren't racing at 85. 

“I wanted to ask... would you like to drive?” 

“What?” 

“You’re not the only one getting bored, here. Would you to like to drive?” 

Cade blinked and sat forward, jittering hands on his lap. It wasn’t nervousness as much as it was surprise—Optimus had never asked him to seriously drive before. Sure, he could pretend well enough to get away with it, and they’d gone through harder conditions on many accounts, but being asked was entirely different. At least, it felt like it. 

“Are you sure? I’ll do it happily but I’m a little tired still and we’ve never actually done it before.” He grimaced slightly at his words and how he'd suddenly turned into a frightful schoolboy. 

“And what a time to start! Anything that goes wrong will be righted before you even notice, Cade. I won’t force you; you know that well enough.” 

He placed a hand on the wheel, curling his fingers around it but not quite gripping it. Might as well take the opportunity, right? “You want... me to drive? As in, drive you?” 

“Indeed, now just say when you’re ready and I'll give you ‘control’, for lack of a better word.” 

“Cool, cool.” 

Optimus slowed down so that the switch in control was smoother. Not slow enough to be going actually slow, of course, but there was the illusion. 

He adjusted his hands, a boot hovering over the accelerator. Optimus Prime’s accelerator. “Okay, uh, now’s good?” As Optimus silently let off, Cade pushed down lightly. From another view, it would’ve seemed like nothing happened. 

His thoughts were consumed with having to act right and making sure he wasn't getting too comfortable with rubbing the leather with his thumb. He made sure to stay at 78miles, around about, just to be safe. Eventually his nervousness faded away though, as it typically did when faced with his Prime's presence. He relaxed more, which left room for a bit of bravery.

After a few minutes, they rounded a small turn and Optimus’ headlights revealed a long, straight road. It seemed as if it stretched for miles—and, Cade knew very well that it did. It was the useless backroad leading onto the highway that, in turn, led directly home. He almost never used it, mostly because he could just use the highway itself as a shortcut to wherever wasn’t his house. He then had an idea. 

“Hey, it’s a long straight for a while, big guy. Wanna haul some ass?” 

“You’re controlling speed and direction; I’ll manage everything else.” 

It was as good an invitation as any. Cade swiftly changed gear then leaned gradually harder on the accelerator. After a short while, he couldn’t bear to take his eyes off the road to peek at the speedometer. It seemed as if Optimus was flying over the tarmac, with no sound other than the great roar of his engine. “Still feeling improper?” Cade laughed with exhilaration. 

“Not with you, Cade”, replied Optimus, with a tone of thrill. Cade took no notice of the implication, far too taken away by the speed. His former apprehension was forgotten in the blur of their surroundings. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, went the trees as they sped past like a flaming bullet. When Optimus pulled a slight drift to counter an unexpected corner, Cade whooped an enthusiastic "hell yeah!".

Eventually, though, he saw his lit-up driveway and farmhouse windows in the distance and eased down the miles. When they drew closer, Cade let Optimus know he was giving back control. 

His engine still had that stormy rumble as he pulled up beside the long-standing barn. “Good times, huh?”, Cade grinned. Still slightly overwhelmed, he slipped out of the cab and shut the door behind him. He walked past Optimus’ headlights and good-naturedly patted his grill. 

“Hey, I’ll see you in the morning, man.” 

“Of course. Could we do this again sometime?” His deep voice was still clear, but Cade had no clue where it was coming from. As per usual. 

“Hell yeah. Maybe you’ll race Bee, huh?” 

“Oh, no, I won’t go that far.” Optimus’ dry humour was music to his ears. “Sleep well. Tell Tessa I said hello?” 

“She might already be in bed, but I will. Night”, he smiled. 

“Mhm.” Optimus stayed there until he was through the door. He then quietly pulled into the barn as Cade told Tessa that Optimus has said hello.


End file.
